Abu Dhabi - GOLD conference

I have visited a few Middle Eastern destinations but this was my first trip to Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Etihad Airways (Middle East’s leading airline 2013) and Fairmont hotels hosted our Gold Conference which gave us an opportunity to network with colleagues and experience the destination.

We stayed at the Bab Al Bahr Hotel (part of the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts group): a contemporary hotel with a prime beachfront setting right on the Grand Canal. It has fabulous views across to the spectacular Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the newly opened Ritz Carlton Hotel.

We started our weekend with a guided tour of the Yas Marina Motor Racing Circuit which was completed in 2009. In addition to a tour of the track, we were able to see the circuit’s high-tech facilities, including Race Control, the unique air-conditioned Support Pit garages, the state-of-the-art 500-seat media centre and the exclusive paddock. We then moved on to the beautiful Viceroy hotel where we had a private buffet dinner party in the Skylite- Rooftop lounge. The hotel has a futuristic design which includes an LED canopy: this changes colour and is quite a sight on the skyline.

We had a choice of excursions to choose from the following day. Some of my colleagues went to Ferrari World on Yas Island, but not being a fan of either motor sports or extreme rides, I decided to do a ½ day city tour.

In the evening we had our gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton which is situated in on the beach along the Grand Canal. It is elegant and beautiful – the food was superb!

The following day I spent relaxing around the pool networking with colleagues. In the evening we visited another new hotel – the Park Hyatt on Saadiyat Island which is situated on a pristine beach, ending the evening at the nearby Monte Carlo Beach club for after dinner drinks!

On our final morning we drove past the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: the largest in the Emirates and the eighth largest Mosque in the World accommodating 40,000 worshippers. It is a spectacular building featuring 82 white marble domes, some 1,000 columns in the outer area and 96 columns in the main prayer hall.

The Middle East offers a lovely winter sun destination – great hotels, climate and something a bit different!